Partition tray



May 21, 1957 G. v. MALMGREN 2,792,982

PARTITION TRAY Filed March 24, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 21, 1957 G. v.MALMGREN PARTITION TRAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1954* May 21,1957 G. v. MALMGREN 2,792,982

PARTITION TRAY 3 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1954 J Ff @www w mm www wamw bade@ 6720596 WjP/@W c@ www' M@ M' United Stats The inventionrelates to partition trays for packaging cookies, candies, fruits andother products and has referonce more particularly to such a tray havingnovel and improved features and which can be blanked out from a singlesheet of material and then folded to form the completed tray.

In use of the present type of partition tray the bakery products,candies, fruits or other products are placed on the tray which acts tohold `the same until the tray and said products as a unit can beinserted in a transparent or opaque bag or other container such as acarton. When inserted in a transparent container the same enhances theattractive appearance of the products for the best display of the same,and the tray facilitates the packaging operation since the loading isspeeded up and the loaded tray can .be easily inserted in the container.

`An object of the invention is to provide a partition tray for packagingcookies, candies, fruits and other products and which will individuallyretain the products erect for the best display of the same and whichwill 'also protect the product against minor damage.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision. of apartition tray characterized by a bottom portion, by one or morepartition tabs and by at least one longitudinal panel, wherein thepartition tabs areformed from.the material of the bottom portion, andwherein said tabs are so constructed and arranged as to interengage withthe longitudinal panels when the elements arel folded into upstandingrelation to complete the tray.

Another object is to provide a partition tray wherein the leg portionsof the longitudinal panels are given a double` bend in order to properlylocate the panels when in upstanding relation with respect to the bottomportion of the tray, and which in addition effects the desiredinterengaging. relation of the said panels with the transverse partitionftabs.

In the tray of the invention the longitudinal panel or panels divide`the tray transversely, whereas the partition tabs divide the traylongitudinally. When two longitudinal panels are employed, the tabs aredisposed transversely in pairs, which provides at least onel tab on eachside of the tray. Since the longitudinal panels have interengagingrelation with `their respective tabs, it is therefore within the scopeof the invention to provide a tray having only one longitudinal paneldisposed longitudinally of the tray to divide the tray approximately inhalf and wherein said longitudinal panel will havey interengagingrelation with all the partition tabs of the tray.

Another object is to provide a partition tray of the typeidescribedwhich will incorporate side flaps for terially improving the supportgiven by the tray to the cookies or candy disposed along the sidesthereof. The said side flaps are formed by material having a scoredrelation with the bottom portion and said side aps are bent upwardlyalong said scored lines at right angles to the` bottom portion in theformationl ofthe completed tray. i

` With these and various other objects in view, the inatent 2,792,982Patented May 21, 1957 vention may consist of certain novel features ofconstruction and operation as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claimsappended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts-Figure 1 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank embodying improveddesign features and which when folded into shape produces the tray ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tray in folded and completed form,the same embodying the features of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank illustrating thedesign of a modified form of tray;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a cut and scored blank constituting amodified design and which is characterized by a single set of transversetabs having interengaging relation with a centrally disposed side panel;and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to Figure l, the sheet orblank 10 is substantially rectangular in shape and the same consists of`a foldable paper, cardboard or heavy kraft paper which, when formedinto a partition tray, will adequately protect'the products supportedthereby. The said blank is provided with a plurality of scored orperforated lines and cut lines to form the panels, tabs and side apswhen the same are folded into tray form and wherein said elementsprovide a number of compartments or divisions for holding the candy,bakery or other products in the desired manner.

The cut lines 11 and 12 extend transversely of the blank and said linesare joined respectively by cut lines 13, 14 and 15, 16 to form the tabswhich are cut thereby from the material of Athe bottom portion 18 andwhich have a foldable relation therewith along the scored lines 20 and21. The cut lines 11, 13 and 14 and scored line 20 form one set of tabsidentified by numerals 22 to 25 inclusive, whereas the second set oftabs 26 to 29 inclusive are formed by the cut lines 12, 15 and 16 andthe scored line 21. The transverse tabs are disposed on respective sidesof the center line and are spaced from each other to form a centralconnecting web 30 between the openings caused by the tabs. Also saidtabs are spaced inwardly about the same distance from the side edges 32and 33 of the bottom portion 18.

The longitudinal panels of the present tray are formed from materialextending along respective side edges of the blank. The cut lines 34 and35 at the 4front and rear of the lbottom 18 together with thelongitudinal cut line 35 form the longitudinal panel 37, whereas, in asimilar manner the cut lines '38 and 39 together with the longitudinalcut line 40 form the panel 41. The panel 37 is connected to the bottomportion 18 at the front and rear thereof by scored lines 42, and thescored lines 43 provided in the front and rear leg portions respectivelyprovide for the double bend which characterizes the longitudinal panelsof this partition tray. Similar scored lines 44 and 4S 'for the panel 41hingedly connect the panel to the bottom portion of the front and rearthereof and provide for the double bend in the leg portions asdescribed.

lt will :be observed that each longitudinal cut line, namely, 36 and 40,forms a side ap with its adjacent scored line 32 and 33, respectively.The side ilap 46 is accordingly located adjacent longitudinal panel 37and the side tiap 47 is located adjacent longitudinal panel 41. Thescored lines for each side flap extend for the entire length of the iiapand accordingly each flap has foldable relation along said scored linewith the bottom portion lil of the tray. The cut line, namely, 36 anddb, for each side tlap is such as to produce a plurality of tongues 4S.The tongues are so constructed and arranged as to form a correspondingrecess lilv in the bottom edge of the longitudinal panels respectively,and the purpose of the recess is to provide a stop to limit the foldingaction of the transverse tabs whereby when the panels interengage withthe tabs the said tabs will be standing upright at right angles to thebottom portion The present tray may be additionally characterized byfront and rear panel members identified by numeral Sli for the frontpanel member and by numeral 51 for the rear panel member. As regardspanel member Sil, it will be seen that the member is severed from theleg portions of the longitudinal panels by the cut lines 3ft and 38 andthat the same has a foldable connection with the bottom portion l by thescored line 52. The rear panel member 51 is severed from the legportions of the longitudinal panels by the cut lines'Sl and 3S and saidmember has foldable connection with the bottom portion by scored line53.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the folded and completed tray producedby the cut and scored blank of Fig ure l. In foldingy the tray into theform as shown in Figure 2, the longitudinal panels 37-and 41 are foldedalong the scored lines 42 and 4d and along with this operation the legportions of the panels are given a double bend on the scored lines 23and 45, with the result that the leg portions are folded down intoContact with the bottom portion of the tray with the panels properhaving an opstanding relation with the bottom portion. Also the resultof these bending operations on the longitudinal panels is such as tolocate the panels over the transverse tabs and the next operation is tobend the transverse tabs into their upright position. The set of tabs,namely, 22 to 25 inclusive, are bent along their scored line 20 and thesecond set of tabs 26 to 29 inclusive are bent along their scored line21. The top edge of each tab is provided with a V-slot forming a tonguesuch as 54, constituting part of the bottom portion of the tray. Incombination with each V-slot the tab thereof is provided with a slitsuch as 55. The purpose of the slot and the slit is to facilitateinterengaging relation which the tabs have with their overlyinglongitudinal panel. The bending of the tabs is continued until theirrespective panel enters the slits 55 in the tabs and eventually the tabswill contact the stops provided in the panels for the purpose. Thereforethe tabs and panels have what may be termed an interlocking relationwith each other and which retains the tabs in an upright folded relationand thereby forming with the panels a plurality of divisions orcompartments for retaining the candy or other products as described.

The neXt folding operation on the tray takes place along the scoredlines 32 and 33 which bends the side ilaps into opstanding relation, allas will be clearly under stood by reference to Figure 2, and iinally thelast bending operation is effected on the front and rear panel membersSli and l which are bent upwardly along their respective scored lines 52and 53. The front panel member Sti accordingly coacts with thetransverse tabs 22 and 26 to close off the front compartments of thetray, and, in a similar manner the rear panel member 51 coacts withtransverse tabs 25 and 29 to close off the rear compartments.

When the present tray has been loaded with cookies, candy or otherproducts, the same may be inserted in a cellophane bag and sealed, orthe tray may be otherwise packaged for display and/ or sales purposes.In all events, the tray has a number of desirable advantages in thedispensing of its products such as by giving protection to the productsduring shipment and during their display period, to reduce and in somecases to practically eliminate breakage. Also by locatingl each productin an individual compartment the product is so presented as to displayit to the best advantage. The side flaps need only be high enough togive some side support to the tray and although the tabs provide fairsized openings such as 56 in the bottom portion lb of the tray,nevertheless sulficient support is provided as regards each compartmentfor the candy, cookies or other product which may be located therein.

The partition blank liti, as shown in Figure 4, is similar to the blankof Figure l, with the exception that the side llaps and the front andrear panel members have been eliminated. rEhe cut lines 111 and 112 joinwith cut lines 113 and lid to form the tabs 122, 123 and 124.respectively, and which have a foldable relation along scored line i2@with the bottom portion 118 of the tray. in a similar manner the tabs126, 127 and 123 are formed by the cut lines i12 which join with the cutlines 115 and lr6 to form said tabs out of the bottom portion of thetray and which have a foldable relation along the scored lines 121. Twosets of tabs are thus provided, the same having location on respectivesides of the center line and which are spaced to form a centralconnecting web 30 between the openings caused by the tabs. Also the tabsare spaced inwardly about the same distance from the side edges 132 and133 of the bottom portion.

The longitudinal panels of the tray of Figure 4 are formed from materialextending along respective side edges of the blank and the panelstogether with the tabs and bottom portion complete the tray of thismodification. As for the panel 137, the same is formed by thelongitudinal cut line 132 together with the cut lines 135, the latterproviding the leg portions of the longitudinal panel and which have afoldable relation with the bottom portion along scored lines 142. Thescored lines 143 provide for the double bend in the leg portions of thislongitudinal panel. As regards longitudinal panel 141, the same isformed by the cut line 133 in combination with cut lines i319, thelatter forming the leg portions for this panel and which have a foldablerelation with the bottom portion along scored lines 144. The scoredlines 145 provide the double bend for the leg portions of this panel.

In said modification the longitudinal panels are each provided with aplurality of tongues 148 and which are so shaped as to form stops forthe tabs when the tabs and panels are caused to interengage with eachother. For said interlocking relation of these elements each tab isformed along its top edge with a VShaped slot which provides a tonguesuch as 154, constituting part of the bottom portion of the tray. Incombination with the t -shaped slot of each tab the same is providedwith a slit E55 and, as previously described, the slot facilitates theentry of the longitudinal panel into the slit which thus functions tohold the tab and side panel in folded relation.

ln the modification of Figures 5 and 6 only one set of transverse tabsare provided which have interengaging relation with a singlelongitudinal panel that is disposed centrally of the tabs so as tolongitudinally divide the tray in half. The cut lines 211 join withlines 213 and 2M to form the tabs 222, 223, 224 and 225, respectively,and which have a foldable relation along the scored lines 22u with thebottom portion 21S of the tray. It will be observed that the transversetabs are located centrally with respect to a longitudinal center line,being spaced substantially an equal distance inwardly from the sideedges 232 and 233 of the bottom portion. As regards the scored line 22dfor each tab, the same is interrupted centrally of the tabby theundulating cut line 221 which helps to provide additional bottomsupport. However, it is possible to eliminate the undulating cut line221, in which case the scored line 220 would extend the entire length ofits respective tab.

In this modification only one longitudinal panel such as 237 isprovided, the same having location along one edge of the blank, and itis immaterial which edge may be selected to provide the said panel. Thecut lines 23S and 239 at the front and rear of the bottom portion formthe leg portions of the panel 237 and by means of the cut line 240 thepanel is separated from the side flap 247. By means of the scored lines244 the side panel has foldable relation with the bottom portion of thetray and the scored lines 245 are required to permit the double bend inthe leg portions, which results in centering the longitudinal panellangitudinally of the bottom portion whereby the completed tray issymmetrical with respect l to said longitudinal center.

The bottom edge of the longitudinal panel 237 is provided with cutoutportions 248 which provide the stops for limiting the upward bending ofthe transverse tabs. In this connection, each transverse tab is providedin its top edge with a V-shaped groove which forms the tongue 254 in thebottom portion of the tray. In a manner as explained, with the trays ofFigures 1 and 4, the slit 255 in each tab constitutes a continuation ofthe V-shaped groove and for locking the elements in upstanding relationthe panel has location in the said slits, the operation of inserting thepanel in the slit being facilitated by the V-shaped groove.

The tray of Figure 5 additionally includes the side flaps 246 and thefront and rear panel members 250 and 251. The front panel 250 has afoldable connection along scored line 252 with the bottom portion 218 ofthe tray and in a similar manner the rear panel member 251 may be foldedinto right angle relation with the bottom portion along scored line 253.

The device of the invention performs the dual function of a tray andpartition means whereby the products supported by the tray arepartitioned or separated for their individual display and which may alsoprevent them from sticking together in addition to providing many otheradvantages. The transverse tabs may be spaced irregular distances fromeach other and it is also within the invention to vary the spacing ofone set of tabs with respect to the other set. Also, when onelongitudinal panel is employed as shown in Figure 5, the same need notbe located on the longitudinal center since for certain trays it may bepreferred to olf-center the panel to form compartments of differentsize. In addition to using only one longitudinal panel, it is alsopossible to use only one transverse tab. From this minimum number ofparts a pair of longitudinal panels can be employed and the tabs can beincreased to a number depending on the size of the tray and thepartitions desired.

lt should also be understood that the side flaps and front and rearpanel members are optional since in Fig ure 4 all have been eliminated.For some trays a front panel member may be desired and for others only arear panel member. As regards the leg portions of the longitudinalpanels, the drawings show the connection of the panels to the bottomportions as adjacent the front and rear thereof, although a connectionmore toward the center is entirely possible and may be preferred.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction ofthe particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, asvarious other forms of the device will of course be apparent to thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A blank for forming a partition tray, comprising a substantiallyrectangular sheet of foldable paper, said sheet having a plurality ofcut and scored linestherein to form a plurality of transverselyextending tabs, at least one longitudinal panel, a pair of side tiaps, afront panel member and a rear panel member, the remainder of the sheetproviding a bottom portion and to which the transverse tabs, thelongitudinal panel, the Side aps and the panel members are lfoldablyconnected by certain scored lines, the scored lines for the side flapsand the panel members dening the side edges and end edges respectivelyof the bottom portion, the longitudinal panelhav-i; ing front and rearend portions each being foldably con#` nected to the bottom portion atrespective ends of 'the from the material of the bottom portion, andsaid tabs p being disposed inwardly from the side edges and from the endedges of saidbottom portion.

2. A partition tray blank, comprising a substantially rectangular sheetof foldable paper, said sheet having a plurality of cut and scored linestherein to form a plurality of transversely extending tabs, at least onelongitudinal panel, a pair of side flaps, a front panel member, and arear panel member, the remainder of the sheet providing a bottom portionand to which the transverse tabs, the longitudinal panel, the side flapsand the panel members are foldably connected by the said scored lines,the transverse tabs being cut from the material of the bottom portion,and being located within the bottom portion in spaced relation to theside edges thereof, and each tab being foldably connected to the bottomportion by a transverse scored line, the side tlaps each being foldablyconnected to the bottom portion by a longitudinal scored line defining aside edge of the bottom portion, the front and rear panel members beingrespectively folda'oly connected to the said bottom portion by atransverse scored line defining the end edges of the bottom portion, andsaid longitudinal panel including end portions and having connectionwith the bottom portion along longitudinal scored lines located inwardlyof the side edges of the bottom portion, whereby the longitudinal paneland the transverse tabs when folded into an upstandng relation with thebottom portion are disposed at right angles to each other with thelongitudinal panel overlying and adapted to interconnect with said tabs.

3. A partition tray blank, comprising a substantially rectangular sheetof foldable paper, said sheet having a plurality of cut and scored linestherein to form a plurality of transversely extending tabs, a pair oflongitudinal panels, a pair of side flaps, a front panel member, and arear panel member, the remainder of the sheet providing a bottom portionand to which the transverse tabs, the longitudinal panels, the sideilaps and the panel members are foldably connected by the said scoredlines, the transverse tabs being cut from the material of the bottomportion, and being located within the bottom portion in spaced relationto the side edges thereof, and each tab being foldably connected to thebottom portion by a transverse scored line, the side flaps each beingfoldably connected to the bottom portion by a longitudinal scored linedefining a side edge of the bottom portion, each side Hap being cut fromthe material of the longitudinal panel at its respective side of thetray blank, the front and rear panel members being respectively foldablyconnected to said bottom portion by a transverse scored line definingthe end edges of the bottom portion, each longitudinal panel includingend portions having connection with the bottom portion at respectiveterminal ends of the side aps, and said connections comprisinglongitudinal scored lines located inwardly of the side edges of thebottom portion, whereby the longitudinal panels and the transverse tabswhen folded into an upstanding relation with the bottom portion aredisposed at right angles to each other with each longitudinal paneloverlying and adapted to interconnect with certain of said tabs.

4. A partition tray blank, comprising a substantially rectangular sheetof foldable paper, said sheet having a plurality of cut and scored linestherein to form a set of transversely extending tabs in the bottomportion of the sheet on each side of the longitudinal center line, withthe tabs of each set being spaced longitudinally of the bottom portion,said cut and scored lines also providing aerienne' a pair oflongitudinal panels, one being disposed -at each side edge of the sheetand extendingfor the length of its side' edge, a side. Hap cut from thematerial of each longitudinal panel and being foldably connected to thebottom portion by a longitudinal scored line forming the side edge ofthe bottom portion, a front panel member and a rear panel member eachbeing folda'oly connected to the bottom portion by transverse scoredlines forming the end edges of the body portion, said longitudinalpanels each including end portions having connection with the bottoniportion along longitudinal scored lines and located inwardly of the sideedges of the bottom portion, and said outlines also providing a notchinthe top edge of each transverse tab, Iand a plurality of notches inthe under edge of each longitudianl panel, the said notches beingadapted to coactwhen the transverse tabs and the longitudinal panels arefolded into `an upstanding relation with the bottom portion.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,410,486 Evans Nov. 5, 1946 2,474,543 McLellan lune 28, 1949 Y2,533,738 Moore Dee. 12, 195) 2,567,054 Clement Sept. 5, 1951 2,584,967Watson Feb. S, 1952 2,604,983. Moore July 29, 1952 2,697,547 WagonsellerDee. 21, 1954

